Come Up Here And See

What kind of love do we love with?

In our culture the word love is used so many times such as conversations, commercials, tv shows, no matter where we turn that we do not even know what the word truly means. Not only that but when we are reading the Word of God if we are not digging deeper to the original meaning and language then we will not know or comprehend what God is saying in that context.

In John 21 when Jesus asked Peter three times do you love me, most of the time in teachings we are taught that Jesus asked Peter three times because Peter had denied even knowing Jesus three times and one of those times with vulgarity.

John 21: 15-17 NASB So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you ^[a]love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I ^[b]love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” ¹⁶ He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you ^[c]love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I ^[d]love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” ¹⁷ He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you ^[e]love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you ^[f]love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I ^[g]love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.

My personal belief is different. I see the grace and mercy of my Lord and Saviour because of the original meanings of the word love in the questions.

The first time Jesus asks Peter do you love me was with the original Greek meaning is agape or a sacrificial love but Peter answers Lord, you know that I philia you, like a friend. Jesus is so merciful that He asks Peter again do you agape me, do you have a love that would sacrifice for me but Peter feeling the shame of not being able to answer with a sacrificial love, responds to Jesus you know that I value and love you like a true friend. I can only imagine the weight of guilt and shame being asked like that in front of others. Boy, that does not sound any different than most of us, our memories of failures will weigh us down thinking that we cannot possibly love God enough. Praise God for His mercy.

The third time that Jesus asked Peter was amazing because Jesus lowered the bar of love to philia so that Peter would not be utterly defeated. Peter must have been overwhelmed with the grace of God at that time. He would come to know that with the mercies of God, he would then be able to present his body as a living and holy sacrifice.

Romans 12:1 NASB Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, ^[a]acceptable to God, which is your ^[b]spiritual service of worship.

When I was praying and meditating on this scripture God revealed to me that Jesus is eternal, and He could see the Day of Pentecost with the Holy Spirit baptizing them and Peter in power and with fire.

He knew that we today would receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit who is our teacher and encourager and that we would be baptized in the refiner’s fire so that all dross would be burn away and be able to agape, a sacrificial love like Jesus loves.

Jesus gave them their commission in Matthew 28 to go into all the world to preach and bring salvation. But also, Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem until they received power in Luke 24.

Matthew 28: 19-20 NASB Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you ^[b]always, even to the end of the age.”

Luke 24: 29 AMP Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.”

What a marvelous, majestic, eternal God that we serve. He hands out His mercies daily because we need them and empowers us with His grace so that we can agape (sacrificial love) Him and continue to grow in our love for Jesus.

Acts 2: 1-4 AMPC And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place, ² When suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. ³ And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different, foreign) languages (tongues), as the Spirit ^[a]kept giving them clear and loud expression [in each tongue in appropriate words].

So, the question is what kind of love do I and you love our Lord with? Is it a philia (friendly love) or is it the agape (sacrificial love) that He deserves. God the Father sent His Son for us because of His love and the cross was always the plan for our redemption which was the greatest sacrifice of love that the world would ever know. Be encouraged as you spend time in the Holy Spirit’s presence, listening to Him and giving yourself over then your love will grow to an agape love. Somedays it may feel like leaps and bounds and other days it may feel like a caterpillar’s crawl. When it comes to our love walk with the Lord we do not walk by feelings.

2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Father I pray that You would continue to encourage us with your agape, sacrificial love. That each and every day we would see another aspect of the Cross and what you Lord Jesus Christ have done for us. Lord thank you that you continue to show us, speak to us, love us with a sacrificial love and that as we are loved by You and then we will grow to love you and others like that. Let us not lose hope and not be blinded by our failures but we would keep our eyes fixed on You and Your love. We love you Jesus. Thank you Holy Spirit for speaking to us everyday and living inside of us. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.